“Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream” is the Theme for Annual K-12 Exhibition at Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art

On view in the Education Corridor Galleries through May 17, NewArt Northwest Kids features over 50 works of art

EUGENE, Ore. -- (February 26, 2015) – “NewArt Northwest Kids: Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream,” the title for this year’s JSMA annual K-12 exhibition, is on view in the Education Corridor Galleries through May 19, 2015. In its eighth year, the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art received almost 400 submissions from twenty-one schools from which fifty-six works were selected.

From pleasant dreams to surreal nightmares, K-12 students from across the region and state created art in response to this year’s theme. Using the media of drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, creative writing, comic strips, collage, and digital art, they were inspired by remembered and imagined dreams, Surrealism, Impressionism, and future goals as well as the JSMA’s fall 2014 exhibition “Ryo Toyonaga: Awakening.”

“Teachers from across the region and state integrated art into their classrooms, and students were creative in their interpretations of the theme,” says Arthurina Fears, Manager of Museum Education Programs and exhibition coordinator. The public is invited to celebrate the artists at a free reception on May 16 at 11 a.m.

This year’s exhibition features the work of students in grades K-12 from private and public schools in Eugene, Bethel, Springfield, Junction City, Florence, North Bend, and Portland. In addition to the works selected for exhibition display, visitors can also view submissions on a video monitor in the exhibition.

The JSMA encourages teachers across the region and state that are using the visual arts, both as art lessons and curricular support, to participate in this annual program. Teacher in-service training, curriculum guides, and online tools provide educators resources for incorporating the exhibition theme into the classroom.

“This exhibition is one of many education programs the JSMA conducts throughout the year for teachers, families, and K–12 students,” says Lisa Abia-Smith, JSMA Director of Education. “The museum strives to find meaningful connections between our collection and special exhibitions and the classroom.”

About the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art

The University of Oregon's Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is a premier Pacific Northwest museum for exhibitions and collections of historic and contemporary art based in a major university setting. The mission of the museum is to enhance the University of Oregon’s academic mission and to further the appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts for the general public. The JSMA features significant collections galleries devoted to art from China, Japan, Korea, America, Europe and elsewhere as well as changing special exhibition galleries. The JSMA is one of six museums in the state of Oregon—and the only university museum--accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is located on the University of Oregon campus at 1430 Johnson Lane. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through Sundays. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens. Free admission is given to ages 18 and under, JSMA members, college students with ID, and University of Oregon faculty, staff and students. For information, contact the JSMA, 541-346-3027.

About the University of Oregon

The University of Oregon is among the 108 institutions chosen from 4,633 U.S. universities for top-tier designation of "Very High Research Activity" in the 2010 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO also is one of two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities.